The 12 months leading up to the end of the annual XXL cycle at the end of the Northern Hemisphere spring on March 19 have been widely regarded as the most spectacular ever seen in the sport of big wave riding. "Biggest-ever" swells were conquered at surf breaks in locations ranging from Tahiti to Ireland and from Tasmania to Portugal along with "just plain huge" days in Mexico, Fiji, California and Hawaii. When whittled down to the top five nominees in each of the XXL's seven divisions, every category is filled with breathtaking moments, all worthy of being named an XXL champion and each with a shot at a share of the $120,000 in prize money at stake.